A conventional storage array provides disk storage and storage processors allowing access by one or more external host computers. The conventional storage array provides duplicate paths providing access to logical units on the array of disk drives. The conventional storage array also includes cache memory, memory, network connections, power supplies and battery backup power.
The storage array when processing logical block requests or responding to internal or external health checks can produce an error in the I/O path or hardware components that are embodied therein. The storage array upon detecting the error will inform a customer service organization responsible for the storage array by automatically establishing a transmission link (i.e. dialing home) to report the error. It would be understood that in modern systems establishing a transmission link also refers to reports made via a network such as the internet.
In parallel to reporting the error to the customer service organization the storage array also begins to collect state information required to analyze the error by the customer service organization. The storage array collects the data into a multi mega-byte file and, when complete, either forwards the file to the customer service organization or allows the customer service organization to retrieve the file when responding to the automatically established transmission link.
The customer service organization upon receiving the collected error information from the storage array initially checks the type of errors. Some errors such as benign status errors or a single parity error are ignored. Errors indicating the failure of a field replaceable unit such as a disc drive are handled by dispatching a field replaceable unit to the client site where an administrator at the site can replace the failed unit.
More complex errors require a first level customer service representative to analyze information collected by the storage array. The first level customer service representative runs software to analyze the multi mega-byte file containing information from the storage array and further analyzes the errors to known error database and uses professional knowledge built up over time to diagnose and repair errors in the storage array.